ABSTRACT
Bangladesh’s Islamists have garnered attention inside and outside Bangladesh at least in part because they have emerged as a formidable force within mainstream politics since the 1980s. The modalities of their rise have received considerably less attention. This chapter takes as its subject one such means by which they have developed influence: popular culture. Specifically, this chapter analyzes both the ways in which Islamists have sought to mobilize Bangladesh’s popular culture as well as how its various forms have facilitated the rise of Islamists. This set of queries is crucial for understanding the growing Islamist appeal to Bangla deshi society and comprehending the future of the Islamist movement within the country.
